Chapter 22 Applications and Ethics of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

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22.1 Genetically Engineered Organisms Synthesize a Wide Range of Biological and Pharmaceutical Products

Insulin Production in Bacteria

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Recombinant DNA Approaches and Transgenic Plants with Edible Vaccines

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22.2 Genetic Engineering of Plants Has Revolutionized Agriculture

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Analysis of transgenic crop trials worldwide

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Transgenic Crops for Herbicide and Pest Resistance

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Golden rice, a strain genetically modified to produce β-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A

Nutritional Enhancement of Crop Plants White rice lacks phytoene synthase

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22.3 Transgenic Animals with Genetically Enhanced Characteristics Have the Potential to Serve Important Roles in Agriculture and Biotechnology

A transgenic mouse (GH gene) with its nontransgenic sibling 10

Transgenic Atlantic salmon overexpressing a growth hormone

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Transgenic cows express the lysostaphin transgene in milk, where it can kill S. aureus

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GloFish

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Creating a knockout mouse

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22.4 Synthetic Genomes, Genome Transplantation, and the Emergence of Synthetic Biology

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• A synthetic genome is an artificially constructed genome for artificial cells or designer organisms

• The bacteria mycoplasma genitalium is a simple self-replicating bacteria serving as a model for understanding the minimal elements of a genome necessary for a self-replicating cell

• Comparative genomics estimates that 256 genes may represent the minimum gene set needed for life

• Genome transplantation is the true test of the functionality of the synthetic genome

• A functional synthetic genome of Mycoplasma mycoides was successfully transplanted into an existing genome of M. capricolum

22.5 Genetic Engineering and Genomics Are Transforming Medical Diagnosis

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10 -12 weeks

Chorionic sampling for karyotypic and molecular analyses

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Genetic Tests Based on Restriction Enzyme Analysis

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Genetic Tests Using Allele-Specific Oligonucleotides

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Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

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Genetic Analysis Using Gene Expression Microarrays

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Application of Microarrays for Gene Expression and Genotype Analysis of Pathogens

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22.6 Genome-Wide Association Studies Identify Genome Variations That Contribute to Disease

• GWAS links 3000 genetic variations to about 150 traits.

• GWAS are done by comparing the genomes of thousands of unrelated individuals with a particular disease and comparing to genomes of those without the disease to identify variations that may confer risk of developing the disease.

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A GWAS study for type 2 diabetes revealed 386,371 genetic markers 29

22.7 Genomics Leads to New Promise New, More Targeted Medical Treatment Including Personalized Medicine and Gene Therapy

Pharmacogenomics and Rational Drug Design 30

Gene Therapy

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Ashanti DeSilva, the first person to be treated by gene therapy

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DNA Profiling Based on DNA Minisatellites (VNTRs)

DNA Profiles Help Identify Individuals

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STRs were used to create DNA profiles

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Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)

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Terrorism and Natural Disasters Force Development of

New Technologies Forensic Applications of DNA Profiling Paternity Testing

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22.8 Ethical, Social, and Legal Questions

• Concerns About Genetically Modified Organisms and GM Foods • Genetic Testing and Ethical Dilemmas • The Ethical Concerns Surrounding Gene Therapy • The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Program

• DNA and Gene Patents

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